Powerlifting Belts

Choosing the best powerlifting belt is crucial for weightlifting, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete. Buying the wrong belt can hinder performance and cause other problems, including injury.
Besides Weightlifting Shoes, a lifting belt is an essential tool if you’re planning to go far in the powerlifting world. However, finding the best Powerlifting belt is a wish we all have. But with the number of powerlifting belts on the market, it isn’t easy to decide what product to buy.
What is a Weightlifting Belt?
A weightlifting belt has two main purposes. It reduces stress on the lower back while the person is lifting in an upright position, and it prevents back hyperextension during overhead lifts. A belt reduces low back stress by compressing the contents of the abdominal cavity.
Different types of Powerlifting Belts
There are three different categories of lifting belt:
Cylinder Lifting Belt
This style belt is the same width at every part and covers the torso equally. They are designed to support the back, abdomen, and sides evenly with the same amount of material. Powerlifters and strongman athletes typically sway towards these belts.
Tapered Weightlifting Belt
This belt is often favored by Olympic lifters and recreational athletes because it provides the posterior with extra width but thins out towards the abdomen. The skinnier portion over the abdomen allows the torso to remain mobile while providing support.
Cone Belt
This design is possibly the most rarely seen. These belts are contoured on the sides but offer a thicker posterior and anterior section. In theory, their design follows the natural curvature of the torso.
Custom Powerlifting Belts
This article will review 6 of the best powerlifting belts that are currently available to buy. We will cover a range of belts that will vary in price to suit all budgets. If you are starting, you may want to consider purchasing a lower-priced belt.
Dark Iron Fitness Weight Lifting Belt
This patented, top-quality weightlifting belt is of top-quality 5mm cowhide that won’t stretch or tear. Its 4″ height supports your back, abs, and entire core so you can lift more without straining the spine or back.
This 1.5 lbs. belt is light and compact. It’ll fit easily into any gym bag. Its comfortable, adjustable non-slip fit won’t ride up or dig into your body. Dark Iron Fitness offers a free lifetime replacement, no questions asked.
Features
- Belt is now available in 5 sizes XS: 23″-31;”, S: 27″-35″, M: 32″- 40″, L: 36″-44″, XL: 41″-49.
- It is much more lightweight and pliable than most belts out in the market.
- Great design and quality material that conforms to your body
- Great customer service
- Price and quality ideal for the regular gym user
- Taper down belt sooner
- It needs one more loop to hold the extra portion of the belt
Fire Team Fit 4 Inch Weight Lifting Belt
This belt is not only for bodybuilding but also for a wide range of exercises. Unlike a leather belt with predetermined holes, the Velcro support strap lets you adjust the tightness for leg and core body exercises. Available in many different colors.
Your belt will stay secure and locked in when using the auto-locking buckle. This is ideal for heavy lifts when you want your weight belt secure. When transitioning to different movements through your WOD, the 3” wide hook and loop strap will provide excellent security while allowing you to release the strap quickly.
Features
- It comes with a lifetime warranty
- These weightlifting belts are specifically designed to overlap in size. If your weight belt doesn’t fit, they will send you another size at no cost to you.
- Contour design very comfortable
- Can shift the belt up or down as needed and it won’t dig into hips or thighs
- Belt stays tight due to the metal hook that you feed the Velcro strap through.
- Lifetime warranty
- Great customer service
- Better for a casual lifter
Inzer Advance Designs Forever Lever Belt 10MM
The Inzer Advance powerlifting belt is a good piece of kit. Made in the USA and has a lifetime guarantee, this belt needs no replacement (provided you avoid setting it on fire or running it over with your car).
This is the Best powerlifting belt for experienced lifters. The amount of pressure it can create/withstand during a lift is crazy. You may get surprised by how heavy it is when you take it out of the box. But this should reassure you of its durability and quality of components.
Features
The belt has a 10mm thickness and is 4 inches wide.
It uses a locking system.
- Amazing durability
- High-quality locking system
- Excellent fit
- One of the most expensive belts on this list
Hawk Sports Lever Belt 10mm Powerlifting Belt
This lever buckle belt is Perfect to give added support for heavy weightlifting that requires you to brace core such as squats and deadlifts. The powerlifting belts with lever buckle provide a wall for your abs to push against the added force with limited space, which means increased anterior pressure that helps stabilize the spine during weight lifting belt & powerlifting.
Features
- Lever buckle belt design makes powerlifting a trouble-free sport.
- 10mm powerlifting belt women make the ideal lever belt powerlifting belts for men.
- Rounded edges are comfortable to grasp and are skin-friendly.
- Embraces the core to reduce stress on the spine during heavy workout belt & CrossFit.
- Top-level 4-way stitching would hold the hawk lever lifting belt together for years.
- Made of high-quality materials
- Easy fix
- Friendly price
- Stitching isn’t as nice compared to Inzer
Dominion Strength Training Leather Dip Belt with Chain
If somebody asked you to picture a powerlifting belt in your mind, then the Dominion Strength Training belt would be the first thing you thought of. It looks exactly like a powerlifting belt should
Features
- Perfect for Weighted Dips
- Lifting Belt is 34″, the Chain is 36″. Adjustable to fit any size waist. Compact enough to fit in your gym bag.
- Large Steel Carabineers are easy to latch and unlatch and can pass through a 2″-hole plate.
- Lifetime Replacement Guarantee. If our lifting belt ever fails for any reason, contact us for a no-hassle refund or replacement!
- Lifetime Replacement guarantee
- It’s strong, and properly maintained
- long-lasting.
- High-quality belt
- The chain isn’t long enough
Dominion Strength Weight Lifting Belt
This belt is another long-lasting and durable piece of equipment. It may require a decent investment upfront. But provided that you avoid losing it, this belt should last you decades.
While the belt is one of the sturdiest on this list, the main attraction is comfort. This is by far the Best powerlifting belt for comfort with soft suede on the inside of the belt. It fits very well and feels like you have been wearing it for years from day one!
Features
- 10mm thick, genuine leather belt with a suede finish
- Four rows of lock-stitched
- Lifetime warranty
- Looks amazing
- The most comfortable belt on this list
- Durable and sturdy
- Lifetime warranty
- Expensive
Factors to consider before buying Powerlifting Belts
As you can see, many aspects and specifications affect the quality of a powerlifting belt and your experience with it. To make the best out of your investment, you need to pick the ideal set points for this wide variety of features and aspects, as discussed below.
Velcro Vs. Buckle Vs. Locking System
Another choice to make is whether you go for Velcro, a traditional one or two-pronged buckle, or you use a locking system. All three have their upsides and downsides. Velcro is usually found on cheaper belts so that it can save you money. It is also easier to get the exact right fit with Velcro.
Buckles are simple to use, very trustworthy, and you can get them at every price point. Buckles are often more secure than Velcro and easier to adjust than a locking system. However, it can be a pain to keep unbuckling and re-buckling the belt between sets. Buckles are also more prone to breaking, particularly in cheaper belts.
Finally, you have the locking system that more and more belts are utilizing. Locking systems are great if you want to take the belt on and off between sets, as you do not have to keep re-adjusting.
Leather Vs. Synthetic
If you are vegan, then a synthetic belt is the only way to go. Other than that, it doesn’t matter whether you go leather or synthetic. Both have some good belts and some poor ones.
Belt Thickness
Some powerlifting belts offer differing thicknesses, which have their positives and negatives. A thicker belt will help to increase abdominal pressure while you lift. They increase stability and will also increase durability.
Final Thoughts
Remember, when measuring yourself to find which belt you want, you need to measure around your abdomen rather than using your waist measurement because that is where the belt goes!
If you are a beginner in the world of Strength training, you must educate yourself about the role of a belt. Even the best powerlifting belt can do nothing to protect your spine if you take unnecessary risks. A good belt can improve your performance and provide better long-term support for your back.